Central Virginia localities will elect three circuit court clerks in November, a rare occurrence when terms are for eight years and clerks tend to hold the job for decades at a time.
Within the last year, the long-standing clerks in Lynchburg and Appomattox and Campbell counties retired. Eleven candidates have registered to fill the vacancies.
“I think it is unusual and I think it’s a coincidence,” said Hanover County Clerk of Courts Frank Hargrove Jr., president of the Virginia Court Clerks Association. “Clerks tend to serve in their offices for a long period of time. The job lends itself to continuity.”
The clerk’s position has the longest term among Virginia’s constitutional offices, he said, allowing a person to serve the public and be in politics, “but not be in constant electoral politics.” They are also compensated well, he said.
The Virginia Compensation Board sets minimum pay rates for clerks: $90,326 in Appomattox, $108,654 in Campbell County and $117,814 in the city.
In Lynchburg, Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office Investigator Eugene Wingfield is running against Clerk Ron Irvine, who was appointed by the court in January to replace Larry Palmer, who retired after 18 years.
- Irvine, 65, worked for the clerk’s office from 1985 until 2008, retiring then as chief deputy clerk.
- Wingfield, 55, worked for the Lynchburg Police Department from 1974 until 2006, retiring as a captain. His wife worked as supervisor of the criminal law section of the clerk’s office for 31 years before retiring recently.
Four people are running for the job in Campbell County after Deborah Hughes retired July after 18 years on the job.
- Sheila Bosiger, 46, was appointed to serve as clerk until the election. Bosiger, who lives just outside Lynchburg, worked from 1985 to 1995 in the clerk’s office in Lynchburg and from 1995 until present in the Campbell County clerk’s office.
- Rick Boyer, 35, who also lives just outside Lynchburg, is a drywall contractor and a candidate for the Virginia Bar. Boyer served as a county supervisor from 2003 until 2007. He has twice served as the chairman of the county’s Republican party in 1994 and 1996 and is officially running as a party candidate.
- Tonda Davis, 48, of Evington, is the office manager at Brown Machine Works.
- Penny Wallace, 45, of Gladys, is a substitute teacher.
Five candidates are running for the job in Appomattox County, after Barbara Williams retired last year after 34 years in the position.
- Terrie Conrad, who declined to state her age, is the vice president of the VMI Foundation in Lexington. Conrad’s husband, Tom, is a county supervisor. She is running as a Republican.
- Cheryl Comeau, 44, is a financial analyst for Areva.
- Karen G. Lawson is a certified paralegal. She works part-time as a paralegal and also assists family members with their businesses.
- Janet Robertson, 38, was appointed to replace Williams and has been clerk for a little more than a year. She has worked in the clerk’s office for six years. Before that she spent 10 ½ years in the court services office for the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
- Chantel Taylor, 26, is the Deputy Clerk of Courts. Taylor has worked in the office for four years.
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